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Pauline Marois backs Quebec soccer body’s ban on turbans

By Andy BlatchfordThe Canadian Press

Tues., June 11, 2013

MONTREAL—Pauline Marois came out kicking in defence of the Quebec Soccer Federation’s refusal to let turban-wearing kids play the sport, a position that has lobbed the controversial debate into the province’s political arena.

The Canadian Soccer Association suspended the provincial association on Monday after the Quebec body showed no sign of overturning its decision to uphold a ban on Sikh religious headwear on the pitch.

Aneel Samra, 18, playing in his backyard in Montreal, has not been able to play organized soccer since last year due to his religious headgear. (Ryan Remiorz / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

It says the suspension will remain in place until the Quebec organization lifts its restriction on turbans, patkas and keskis.

The Quebec premier took issue Tuesday with the CSA move and said it’s “unacceptable” that the national organization would suspend her province’s soccer federation.

The suspension prompted Marois, and several other Quebec politicians, to make their first public remarks on a contentious dispute that has made international headlines. Virtually all lawmakers in the Quebec legislature had avoided the politically thorny topic, but the federal-provincial jurisdictional aspect of Monday’s suspension had several of them talking Tuesday at the national assembly.

“I believe the Quebec federation has the right to make its own rules, it’s autonomous, it’s not bound by the Canadian federation,” Marois, leader of the sovereigntist Parti Quebecois, said in Quebec City.

“In this regard, I support it in its orientations.”

The CSA, however, reports directly to the FIFA world soccer governing body and is responsible for granting or revoking the membership of provincial federations.

“It is not up to the Canadian association to decide what is going on on Quebec soccer fields — this power belongs to the (QSF),” Drainville told reporters.

“So, the Canadian association should respect the autonomy of the Quebec Soccer Federation to make its own rules on Quebec soccer fields. This is the principle we are defending and we do not understand why the Canadian association is interfering with this right that the (QSF) has.”

The Quebec body, which did not immediately return calls about the suspension, was expected to hold a meeting on the matter later Tuesday.

The national organization said last week it expected the Quebec association to reverse the ban, which has drawn condemnation from several federal politicians.

Its unclear how the suspension might affect Quebec’s soccer players. A spokeswoman for the CSA said Tuesday she did not have specific details on the suspension.

The impact, however, could be felt in a variety of ways unless the situation is resolved soon, according to Canadian Soccer News.

Its website said the suspension could prevent Quebec all-star teams from playing outside the province, and even result in games within Quebec being cancelled if they involve a nationally certified referee.

If the suspension lasts a long time, Quebec youth teams could also be blocked from participating in national championships, the publication said.

On Tuesday, even the president of Major League Soccer’s Montreal Impact weighed in on the turban-ban debate.

Joey Saputo said in a statement that kids should not be prevented from playing soccer because they wear a turban, but added that he thought the CSA’s decision to suspend Quebec’s federation over the issue was “clearly exaggerated.”

He said the Quebec organization’s decision to ban turbans was based on a FIFA rule that is open to interpretation.

Saputo added that accusations of racism against the provincial federation were uncalled for considering the context of the Quebec body’s decision.

“The (CSA) made a recommendation and did not officially state its position to provincial federations,” said Saputo, who also urged those involved to resolve the situation.

“All parties involved must find some common ground for the good of the sport.”

Shortly after the suspension was announced Monday, some of those who opposed the ban said they welcomed the national body’s tough-love approach.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney tweeted his approval: “Good to see CDN Soccer Association take action against the Quebec Soccer Federation over its ridiculous turban ban.”

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau echoed the sentiment, tweeting that, “Barring kids from playing soccer because they wear a turban is wrong. The CSA is right to suspend the #QSF.”

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